LED Street Light Conversion

ML&P, the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska Department of Transportation and other public agencies and utilities install, maintain and operate almost 40,000 street lights on Anchorage roads and trails to improve vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety.led display power supply

ML&P owns and maintains some 4,000 high pressure sodium (HPS) street and trail lights in its service area, including downtown and parts of midtown and east Anchorage. In 2017, ML&P converted over 3,700 of its street lights to networked light emitting diode (LED) fixtures. The remaining lights are ornamental and will be converted in the near future.

Why did ML&P convert to LED lights?

Most of ML&P’s HPS lights were installed in the mid-1980s and need to be replaced because they are at the end of their service life. Utilities around the world, including those in other communities in Alaska, are switching to LED lights to save money and energy.

LED fixtures use about half the power to produce the same amount of light as conventional HPS fixtures. LED lights also cost less to maintain than equivalent HPS lights and they provide more reliable service, especially in cold weather.
Over time, using LED lights will save money. The conservative estimate in savings is about $400,000 a year in combined power, operating and management costs.

ML&P’s new LED light system will use almost 40 percent less power to produce the same light as its aging HPS light system, to save three million kilowatt hours annually and reduce the amount of carbon pollution released into the atmosphere.

Does LED street lighting look different than lighting from conventional HPS fixtures?

LED street lighting is visually different than lighting from conventional fixtures. Existing HPS street lights produce a light color that is yellowish or orange hue. The LED lights ML&P is installing produce whiter light that is similar to daylight.

LED lights are also more focused than HPS lights so that more of the fixture’s light shines onto the street and sidewalks and less light spills into adjacent areas.